Serializer-deserializer (SerDes) devices provide a straightforward way to transmit input data from a wide parallel interface to a single, or serial, data output path. A given link generally includes a transmit circuit on a first integrated circuit (IC) device coupled to a receive circuit on a second IC device via a single-ended or differential signaling path. The relative simplicity of SerDes links make them amenable to a variety of circuit applications.
However, with ever-increasing data rates and circuit integration, SerDes links are becoming susceptible to problems such as inter-symbol interference (ISI), signal echoes, and signal crosstalk. Many of these problems become worse for architectures where multiple adjacent links operate at very high speeds. It would be desirable to address such issues without overly complex circuitry.